Disposable oil drip pan

ABSTRACT

A disposable oil drip pan formed of a stiffened oil-resistant material which includes a plurality of interconnected accordion folds. Each of the accordion folds includes a pair of side walls and a ridge formed at the intersection of the pair of side walls with each accordion fold being movable between a flattened position with the side walls in contacting relation and an open position with the side walls inclined upwardly toward the ridge. A plurality of valleys are formed in the oil drip pan with each valley being positioned between an adjacent pair of accordion folds. Each valley is formed by the intersection of a side wall of one accordion fold with a side wall of an adjacent accordion fold and foldable gusset closures are positioned at the ends of each of the valleys. The gusset closures are shaped and positioned to close the ends of the valleys with the accordion folds in an open position and to lie flat between adjacent accordion folds when the accordion folds are in a flattened position. Means are also provided to retain the accordion folds in an open position with the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surface.

Howe

[451 Sept. 10, 1974 DISPOSABLE OIL DRIP PAN [76] Inventor: Gerald F.Howe, 6510 State,

Huntington Park, Calif. 90255 [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2355,068

[52] US. Cl. 206/494, 184/106, 229/35 MF, 206/813 [51] Int. Cl... B65d69/00, B65d 85/00, Fl6n 31/02 [58] Field of Search 206/46 H, 46 R, 46 F,65 K, 206/DIG. l8; 220/1 C, 9 F, 65; 229/35 MF;

Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Smyth,Roston & Pavitt [57] ABSTRACT A disposable oil drip pan formed of astiffened oilresistant material which includes a plurality of inter--connected accordion folds. Each of the accordion folds includes a pairof side walls and a ridge formed at the intersection of the pair of sidewalls with each accordion fold being movable between a flattenedposition with the side walls in contacting relation and an open positionwith the side walls inclined upwardly toward the ridge.

A plurality of valleys are formed in the oil drip pan with each valleybeing positioned between an adjacent pair of accordion folds. Eachvalley is formed by the intersection of a side wall of one accordionfold with a side wall of an adjacent accordion fold and foldable gussetclosures are positioned at the ends of each of the valleys. The gussetclosures are shaped and positioned to close the ends of the valleys withthe accordion folds in an open position and to lie flat between adjacentaccordion folds when the accordion folds are in a flattened position.Means are also provided to retain the accordion folds in an openposition with the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surface.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DISPOSABLE OIL DRIP PAN BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION For various reasons, such as leaky seals, etc., oil may dripfrom the underside of an automobile engine onto the floor of a garage orother enclosure in which the automobile is kept when not in use. Thiscreates an un sightly stain on the floor. In addition, the oily surfaceholds dirt and makes it difficult to clean the garage area. I

In keeping an automobile storage area clean, previous oil drip pans,which have been used by garages, have generally been formed of heavysheet metal and provide a relatively large flat surface surrounded by anupstanding sidewall. In usage, therigid upstanding sidewall of theprevious oil drip pans may create problems if an automobile drives overthe sidewall. This may tilt the pan upwardly and spill the contents ofthe pan onto the floor. Also, if a portion of the outer sidewall is bentto a flattened position by the wheel of an automobile, the contents ofthe pan then drains through the opening created by the flattened outersurface. Damage to any portion of the outer sidewall, therefore, makesthe pan unusable for containing oil drippings.

Additionally, an oil drip pan may be moved from one place to another ona garage floor so that it is not properly positioned to receive oildrippings from the engine. For example, if the pan were accidentallykicked, it could be moved out of its desired position and would then becompletely ineffective as a drip pan.

In providing a suitable oil drip pan, it would be desirable to have apan which is relatively inexpensive, and

light in weight for usage by an average homeowner and which has aplurality of valleys which could each contain oil drippings. Then, ifthe walls forming one of the valleys were damaged, the other valleyswould still function to contain oil drippings. Also, it would bedesirable to have a pan constructed of a stiffened oilresistantmaterial, which is, however, crushable or resilient if contacted by anautomobile wheel. This would serve to prevent the pan from being tiltedto an upright position by a force applied to it through an automobilewheel.

Additionally, it would be desirable to have an oil drip pan which couldbe secured to a supportive surface such as a garage floor. This wouldprevent the accidental movement of the pan from its desired positionbeneath the automobile engine. Lastly, it would be desirable to have anoil drip pan which is disposable and is foldable to a flattenedconfiguration. Such a pan could then be conveniently stored in a flatposition, open for usage, and then returned to a flat position fordisposal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accord with the invention, there is provideda disposable oil drip pan which forms a compact package for carrying orstorage. The oil drip pan may be formed of a stiffened oil-resistantmaterial and may comprise a plurality of interconnected accordion foldswith each of the accordion folds including a pair of side walls and aridge formed at the intersection of the pair of side walls. Each of theaccordion folds may be moved between a flattened position with the sidewalls in contacting relation and an open position with the side wallsinclined upwardly toward the ridge.

each of the valleys with the gusset closures being shaped and positionedto close the ends of the valleys with the accordion folds in an openposition. With the accordion folds in a flattened position, the gussetclosures are foldable to a flattened position with each gusset closurepositioned between a pair of adjacent accordion folds.

On opening the oil drip pan with the accordion folds in an openposition, means are provided to retain the accordion folds in an openposition with the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surface.

End folds may be provided along either side of the oil drip pan with theend folds being shaped and positioned to lie flat against a supportivesurface for the oil drip pan with the accordion folds in an openposition. In positioning the end folds against a supportive surface,adhesive means may be provided on the end folds to provide adhesionbetween the end folds and the supportive surface.

The disposable oil drip pan of the invention may be formed from a singlesheet of stiffened oil-resistant material. Conveniently, theoil-resistant material may be a stiffened paper having an aluminum foilcoating on the oil contacting surfaces of the paper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In illustrating an embodiment of theinvention, reference is made to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a disposable oil drip pan in afolded condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the oil drip pan in an opened position,and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing therelationship between the accordion folds of the oil drip pan, thevalleys formed between adjacent accordion folds, and the foldable gussetclosures positioned at either of the ends of the valleys.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A disposable oil drip pan is illustrated in FIG. 1in a folded condition and is designated generally as 2. As shown, theoil drip pan 2 has a generally flat profile in its folded condition suchthat it may be conveniently shipped and stored. I

In its open position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the drip pan 2 ispositioned to receive oil with the oil drip pan being retained upon asupportive surface. A plurality of accordion folds generally designatedas 4 are defined in the surface of the pan2 with each accordion foldhaving a pair of side walls 6 and 8 which are joined together to form aridge 10. When the disposable drip pan 2 is in its folded condition, asshown in FIG. 1, the side walls 6 and 8 of the accordion folds 4 are incontacting relation. However, with the oil drip pan 2 in its openposition, as shown in FIG. 2, each of the sidewalls 6 and 8 of a sidewall pair are inclined upwardly toward the ridge 10 formed by theirintersection.

A plurality of valleys 12 are formed in the surface of the oil drip pan2 with each of the valleys 12 being positioned between an adjacent pairof accordion folds 4. Each valley 12 is formed by the intersection of aside wall 6 of one accordion fold 4 with a side wall 8 of an adjacentaccordion fold. The ends of the valleys 12 are closed when the drip pan2 is in an open position through foldable gusset closures generallydesignated as 14. Thus, with the oil drip pan 2 in its open position,oil which is received within the valleys 12 is separately retainedwithin each of the valleys by the gusset closures 14.

End folds 16 may be provided along either side of the disposable oildrip pan 2 with the end folds being shaped and positioned to lie flatagainst a supportive surface with the oil pan in its open position.Adhesive means, such as the pressure sensitive tape designated 18 may beprovided on the under-surfaces of the end folds 16. The pressuresensitive tape 18 may, thus, function to secure the end folds 16 againsta supportive surface for the oil drip pan 2.

Turning to FIG. 3, the foldable gusset closures 14 are each composed ofa pair of side folds 20 and 22 which are joined along crease lines 24.The crease lines 24 each intersect the bottom of the valleys 12 at apoint of jointure designated 26 which may be spaced inwardly from theedges 28 of the side walls 6 and 8. Thus, when the oil drip pan 2 ismoved to its closed position, each of the side folds 20 and 22 of aside-fold pair lie in contacting relation between the side faces 6 and 8of adjacent accordion folds 4. On opening of the disposable oil drip pan2 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the side folds 20 and 22 are in agenerally up-right position so as to enclose the ends of the valleys 12and to, thereby, prevent leakage of oil out of the valley ends.

The disposable oil drip pan 2 may be formed of any stiffenedoil-resistant material. I have found, for example, that a stiffenedpaper having an aluminum foil coating works very well as a material ofconstruction. The aluminum coating is oil-resistant and is, therefore,positioned on the oil-contacting surfaces of the stiffened paper.

As illustrated, the disposable drip pan 2 may be formed of a singlesheet of stiffened oil-resistant mate rial. However, the pan 2 may beformed of several pieces of oil-resistant material, if desired, with thepieces being joined together in any convenient manner such as by use ofa paper tape having a gummy adhesive surface.

If desired, an emblem or printing of any sort may be provided on thesurface of the drip pan 2 which is exposed when the pan is in its openposition as shown in FIG. 2. The upper surface of the drip pan 2 wouldthen convey an advertising message with the oil pan in its opencondition. Also, if desired, a porous material (not shown) may be placedon the surface of the drip pan 2 which is exposed with the pan in anopen position. The porous material may be utilized to absorb oil and toreduce the possibility of oil spillage from the pan 2.

I claim:

1. A disposable oil drip pan formed of an imperforate stiffenedoil-resistant sheet material and comprising:

a plurality of interconnected accordion folds;

each of said accordion folds including a pair of side walls and a ridgeformed at the intersection of the pair of side walls;

each of said accordion folds being movable between a flattened positionwith the side walls in contacting relation and an open position with theside walls inclined upwardly toward the ridge;

a plurality of valleys with each valley positioned between an adjacentpair of accordion folds; each valley being formed by the intersection ofa side wall of one accordion fold with the side wall of an adjacentaccordion fold and each valley having an undersurface which runs alongsaid intersection;

foldable gusset closures positioned at the ends of each of said valleys;

said gusset closures being shaped and positioned to close the ends ofthe valleys with the accordion folds in an open position and to extendinwardly of the outer ends of said valleys and lie flat between adjacentaccordion folds with the accordion folds in a flattened position, and

means to retain the accordion folds in an open position with the oildrip pan positioned on a supportive surface through contact of theundersurfaces of said valleys with the supportive surface,

whereby the oil drip pan forms a compact package for carrying or storagewith the accordion folds in a flattened position and may be opened toseparately receive oil in the valleys by moving the accordion folds toan open position and retaining the accordion folds in an open positionwith the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surface.

2. The disposable oil drip pan of claim 1 including end folds positionedalong either side of the oil drip pan with the end folds being shapedand positioned to lie flat against a supportive surface for the oil drippan with the accordion folds in an open position.

3. The disposable oil drip pan of claim 2 including adhesive meanspositioned on the end folds to provide adhesion between the end foldsand a supportive surface with the accordion folds in an open position.

4. The disposable oil drip pan of claim 1 wherein the oil-resistantmaterial is a stiffened paper having an aluminum coating on theoil-contacting surface of the paper.

5. The disposable oil drip pan of claim 1 wherein said gusset closureseach include a pair of side folds with each side fold of a side-foldpair being joined to the other side fold of the pair along a crease lineand each side fold being joined to a side wall of an accordion fold.

1. A disposable oil drip pan formed of an imperforate stiffenedoil-resistant sheet material and comprising: a plurality ofinterconnected accordion folds; each of said accordion folds including apair of side walls and a ridge formed at the intersection of the pair ofside walls; each of said accordion folds being movable between aflattened position with the side walls in contacting relation and anopen position with the side walls inclined upwardly toward the ridge; aplurality of valleys with each valley positioned between an adjacentpair of accordion folds; each valley being formed by the intersection ofa side wall of one accordion fold with the side wall of an adjacentaccordion fold and each valley having an undersurface which runs alongsaid intersection; foldablE gusset closures positioned at the ends ofeach of said valleys; said gusset closures being shaped and positionedto close the ends of the valleys with the accordion folds in an openposition and to extend inwardly of the outer ends of said valleys andlie flat between adjacent accordion folds with the accordion folds in aflattened position, and means to retain the accordion folds in an openposition with the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surfacethrough contact of the undersurfaces of said valleys with the supportivesurface, whereby the oil drip pan forms a compact package for carryingor storage with the accordion folds in a flattened position and may beopened to separately receive oil in the valleys by moving the accordionfolds to an open position and retaining the accordion folds in an openposition with the oil drip pan positioned on a supportive surface. 2.The disposable oil drip pan of claim 1 including end folds positionedalong either side of the oil drip pan with the end folds being shapedand positioned to lie flat against a supportive surface for the oil drippan with the accordion folds in an open position.
 3. The disposable oildrip pan of claim 2 including adhesive means positioned on the end foldsto provide adhesion between the end folds and a supportive surface withthe accordion folds in an open position.
 4. The disposable oil drip panof claim 1 wherein the oil-resistant material is a stiffened paperhaving an aluminum coating on the oil-contacting surface of the paper.5. The disposable oil drip pan of claim 1 wherein said gusset closureseach include a pair of side folds with each side fold of a side-foldpair being joined to the other side fold of the pair along a crease lineand each side fold being joined to a side wall of an accordion fold.